Car reviews

Introduction

The Kia Magentis is one of those budget cars whose main advantage isn’t the fact that it is perfect, it’s main advantage is that there’s nothing terribly wrong with the car. It is a fairly normal vehicle offering fairly normal ride quality. When you consider the price of the Magentis, you cannot really complain as it is a solid, middle of the range car.

Exterior & Interior

This Magnetis is a rebadged and slightly restyled version of a Hyundai Sonata – only it’s slightly simpler and cheaper. The Sonata was built on the platform of the Mitsubishi Carisma meaning that both Korean cars are based on a well-designed and substantial Japanese concept that has proven itself as a reliable and sturdy car. Thanks to the Japanese heritage, the Magentis is freed of the usual faults of the older Kias.

Visually, the car is quite appealing. It looks larger and sleeker than it actually is. You can see that it’s been well designed and although the main focus is not on the design, you wouldn’t be embarrassed being caught driving a Magentis. The car received a face-lift late in 2002 and it’s questionable whether it made it look better. Some say that it is slightly over the top, however, the whole styling still leaves a good impression. It’s certainly different from the typical German models of this size.

The cabin is spacious and comfortable. It is designed to carry 5 adult passengers and their luggage. If 480litres is not enough, you can partly fold the rear seats opening up a 810litre boot space.

Considering the price, there has to be a trade-off. The car is mechanically sound and properly built. Where corners have been cut is in the interior design and build. It’s the same old grey Kia plastic only on a slightly larger scale this time. The interior is totally lacking any imagination or flair, however, the controls are conveniently placed and the seats are reasonably comfortable, so you should soon forget about the lack of visual appeal once you are driving it.

Drive

It’s reluctant to accelerate and the drive quality is average. It will perform at its best on a smooth motorway when driven at a constant speed. As soon as the ideal conditions aren’t met, the car becomes choppy. It’s not very pleasant to drive, but it ticks most of the boxes when it comes to everyday use. It’s a clumsy and heavy car, but the power steering is well optimised, so it’s not that difficult to drive a Kia Magentis in a city.

Faults & Repairs

It’s a robust and tough car. The Mitsubishi’s platform using Hyundai’s gear is a good combination that will serve you for many years. The car doesn’t demand too much attention other than some basic servicing and considerate usage. Most faults are related to the electrical system and badly assembled interior parts.